BIO:
Paul Clay is a an award winning multi media artist and set designer. Projects include Set Design for the Broadway Musical RENT. Recent work includes set lighting and video design for the National Theatre Wales, Volcano Theatre, Welsh National Opera co production “Shelf Life”, Swansea, Wales; De Nederlandse Opera‘s “Commedia”, Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Triple Shadow’s “Breath on the Mirror” La MaMa ETC, New York. He has also done set, lighting, and video design with Mabou Mines, Susan Marshall, David Dorfman, NYTW, BAM, and many more in the New York theater and dance community.
He received the 2004 Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards Best Design, for “Perfect” at Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK. He designed the set for the Pulitzer prize-winning Broadway musical “Rent”, and received a 1997 Municipal Arts Society Times Square Spectacular Award from Tibor Kalman for his redesign of the marquee and exterior of the Nederlander Theater, as well as a 1997 Drama Desk award, for “Rent”, Los Angeles. Other awards include the National Endowment for the Arts/ TCG Fellowship, and the Bessie award.
He has done live visual media for events, including Wyclef Jean‘s Carnival II Memoirs of an Immigrant Album Release party at New York’s Sounds of Brazil; the pre Obama Inauguration benefit for the not-for-profit Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, at Eyebar in, Washington DC, Bounce at the Bronx Museum of the Arts in NYC, and numerous other album and label launch parties, fashion events, and after parties.
He has designed and produced art installations and live media events for Levi’s Vintage Clothing, the Diesel Denim Gallery, and the Kunsthalle Wien (contemporary art museum) Vienna, Austria.
He is also active in the New York night scene and has done visual projections for numerous club nights and party crews including DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra, Bollywood Disco, Lipstick Optional, Blackkat, Sholay, Vinylholic, Complacent/The Danger and many others.
As a video artist and designer, he has shown internationally, been interviewed on local television in New York, and has been reviewed in such publications as The New York Times, The London Times, Time Out (New York and London), The Guardian of London, ARTnews, Tema Celeste, Print, Zingmagazine, NY ARTS magazine, Backstage, Lighting Dimensions (Live Design), American Theatre, Theater Week, City Limits (London) and more.
RESUME:
THEATRICAL SCENIC, LIGHTING, AND VIDEO/PROJECTIONS DESIGN
Breath on the Mirror – Multi Media Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner. Lighting, and Video Design. Triple Shadow at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC, 2010
Shelf Life – Site Specific Theater. Written and Directed by Catherine Bennett and Paul Davies. Set, lighting, & Video Projections Design. National Theatre Wales, Volcano Theatre, Welsh National Opera, at the Old Swansea Library, Wales, UK, 2010
Not God – Theater work from poetry. Written by Marc Straus. Directed by Nancy Robillard. Set, and Video Design. Luna Stage, Montclair NJ, 2009
Commedia – Contemporary Opera. Music, book, and lyrics by Louis Andriessen. Directed by Hal Hartley. Set Design. De Nederlandse Opera, Amsterdam, NL, 2008
Alice, End of Daze – Multi Media Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner. Lighting, and Video Design. Triple Shadow at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC, 2008
Sea Change – Visual Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner and Triple Shadow. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Triple Shadow, USA entry, Cairo International Festival for Expirimental Theater, Cairo, Egypt, 2005
Perfect – Multi Media Theater. Written by Kaite O’Reilly. Directed by John McGrath. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK, 2004
So that You Could See Us Coming – Contemporary Dance. Created by David Neumann in collaboration with Laurie Anderson. Choreographed by David Neumann. Set Design. Face the Music and Dance, modern choreographers and contemporary musicians in commissioned world premiere collaboration, Symphony Space New York City, NYC, 2001
To Lie Tenderly – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Dorfman.
Set and live Video Design. David Dorfman Dance at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), 2000
Bright Lights, Big City – Musical Theater. Music, book and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman based on the novel by Jay McInerney. Directed by Michael Greif. Set Design. New York Theatre Workshop, NYC, 1999
Subverse – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Dorfman.
Set Design. David Dorfman Dance at the American Dance Festival, Durham NC, 1999
Rent – Pulitzer prize winning Broadway Musical. Music, book and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Michael Grief. Set Design. Nederlander Theater, NYC, 1997
Take My Breath Away – Contemporary visual art/theater. Written and Directed by artist Beth B., Set Design. BAM’s Artist in Action Series, at PS122, NYC,1997
Iphigenia and Other Daughters – New Play. Written and Directed by Ellen McLaughlin. Set and Lighting Design. Chautauqua Theater, Chautauqua, NY, 1996
The Model Apartment – Contemporary Play. Written By Donald Margulies. Directed by Lisa Peterson. Lighting Design. Primary Stages Company, NYC, 1995
Wild Ancestors – Visual Theater. Written and Directed by Beth Skinner and Ed Herbst. Lighting Design
Thunder Bay Ensemble at the La MaMa Annex Theater, NYC, 1995
Skin – New Play. Written by Naomi Iizuka, adapted from Georg Buechner’s “Woy-zeck”. Directed by John Edward McGrath. Set and Lighting Design. Soho Rep, NYC, 1995
Still – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by David Neumann. Set and Lighting Design. PS 122, NYC, 1995
Mother – New Play. Written by Patricia Spears Jones. Directed by John Edward McGrath. Set, Lighting, and live Video Design. Mabou Mines at La MaMa E.T.C., NYC, 1994
Pirate Jennie – Contemporary Dance. Written and Directed by Clove Galilee. Set and Lighting Design
Performance Space 122, NYC, 1994
Wifey – New Play. Written and Directed by Tom Noonan. Lighting Design. Paradise Theater Co., NYC, 1994
Reel to Real – New Play. Written and Directed by Frederick Neumann. Set, Lighting, and Video Design. Mabou Mines at The Kitchen, NYC, 1994
A Dry and Thirsty Land – New Play. Written By Colette Burson. Directed by Jeanne Wagner. Set and Lighting Design. Here, NYC, 1993
Breathing It In – New Play. Written and Directed by Edwardo Machado. Set and Lighting Design. Downtown Art Company, NYC, 1993
Walter’s Finest Hours – New Play. Written and Directed by Susan Marshal. Lighting Design
Downtown Art Company, NYC, 1993
Untitled (Detail) 1992 – Contemporary Dance. Created and Choreographed by Susan Marshal
Set Design. Susan Marshal & Co. dance, The Joyce; The Kitchen, 1992
Bombazeen – New Play. Written and Directed by Nancy Salomon Miranda. Set and Lighting. At Nada, NYC, 1992
A window on the Nether Sea – New performance work. Written and Directed by Lora Nelson and Paul Clay. Set and Lighting (Paul Clay and Lora Nelson). Downtown Art Co., NYC, 1991
The Empire – New Play. Written and Directed by Steve Shill. Lighting. Steve Shill Company, The Institute for Contemporary Art, London, England, 1989
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said – New Play. Written by Linda Hartinian, adapted from the novel by Philip K. Dick. Directed by William Raymond. Video Design. Mabou Mines, NYU Mainstage, NYC, 1988
Face Down – New Play. Written and Directed by Steve Shill. Lighting. Steve Shill Company, The Institute for Contemporary Art, London, England, 1987
It’s A Man’s World – Multi Media Theater. Written by Greg Mehrten. Directed by David Schweitzer. Live Video Design. Mabou Mines at Apple Corps Theater, NYC, 1987
ARCHITECTURAL INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art – Architectural lighting design, and lighting design for annual exhibits. The center has a 12,000 square foot exhibition space showing leading contemporary art in all forms, Peekskill, New York, 2004.
Nederlander Theatre – Interior design, architectural lighting design, and exterior and signage design for the Nederlander Theatre, including ticket booth, lobby, art gallery, three bars, bathrooms, main hall, staircases, and exterior. The exterior signage design received the Municipal Arts Society Time Square Spectacular Award, (Award committee chair Tibor Kalman.), Nederlander Theater, New York City, 1997
Illig (club clothing store) – Retail store interior design. Located inside the famed Tunnel nightclub, which was located at 269 11th Avenue in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, New York City, 1997
EVENT DESIGN
OCA National Convention, Haute Couture New York with designer Zang Toi – Design of all elements for a benefit fashion show including Stage, Lighting, Audio, and Video Design. New York Surrogate Courthouse. 2011.
Heidi Klum SHINE Fragrance Launch – Design of PowerPoint/Keynote and motion graphics for the launch presentation. Mondrian SoHo in New York City. 2011
MoMA VW Gala After Party – VJ / Live Video Projection Design for the After Party. The design included 3 live video camera feeds, along with pre-recorded content, Museum of Modern Art, New York City, 2011
Creative Time Spring Gala 2011 – Design of Multiple Live Video Projections along with motion graphics and pre-edited content as well as Lighting and Scenic Design advising, New York City, 2011
ICSCS Launch Party – Live Video Projection Design for the The Institute for Culture in the Service of Community Sustainability (ICSCS) Launch Party, New York City, 2010
NYC Children’s Art Fund Launch Event – Live Video Projection along with motion graphics and pre-edited content, New York City, 2010
Asian American Arts Alliance 28th Anniversary Gala: “Defining Moments” – Live Video Design and Direction along with motion graphics and pre-edited content, New York City, 2010
After The Fall – Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art – Lighting Design for an Exhibit of Contemporary Art, Peekskill, New York, 2010
Tommy Hilfiger 25th Anniversary – Live Video Design including live filter effects and pre-edited content, at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center, New York City, 2010
Disorient’s COMPRESSOR VI – Re-envisioning Metropolis – Live Video Design including live filter effects and pre-edited content, at the Times Square Arts Center, New York City, 2010
DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Lucky 13 – Thirteenth anniversary of the biggest South Asian club event in NYC. DJ Rekha. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Presented at the Filmore New York at Irving Plaza, New York City, 2010
Mengjia-108 – A 90 minute two channel video art installation for the Bo-Pi-Liao Historic Center, part of Fusion Folks, Organized by the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City, Taiwan, 2009
Dikembe Mutombo Foundation Benefit – Pre Obama Inauguration benefit for the not-for-profit building hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DMF. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Eyebar, Washington DC, 2009
Hot Wax 1 Label Launch and Album Release Party – Kween Kash and General Vee’s album release party and label launch. Hot Wax 1 Records. Sounds of Brazil, New York City, 2008
Tenement Museum Annual Benefit – Museum commissioned themed centerpiece design. Tenement Museum, New York City, 2008
Wyclef Jean’s Carnival II Memoirs of an Immigrant Album Release party – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Wyclef Jean, Sounds of Brazil, New York City, 2007
Basement Bhangra 10 Year Anniversary – Tenth anniversary of the biggest South Asian club event in NYC. DJ Rekha. Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Presented at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, 2007
Peter White Studio Wedding – Produced by Susan Holland & Company Event Design, at Peter White Studio, with Paul Clay hired by the individual client and working in conjunction with the event design company. Multiple video projections, including changing colorscapes, live video of the crowd, and slide shows of digital photos from the wedding, New York City, 2006
Karsh Kale Broken English Album Release Party – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content, Six Degrees Records, The Canal Room, New York City, 2006
You Are Here – Diesel Denim Commissioned Art Installation & Set of Performances. Curated by Sebastien Agneessens of Formavision for the Diesel Denim Gallery. Full site specific art installation on the nature of retail architecture, along with a set of performances with live video projections, New York City, 2003
Bounce at the Bronx Museum of the Arts/ Last Night a DJ Saved My Life – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content for the Museum’s monthly Friday night series, a featured program of Performance LAB which extends the Museum’s exploration of contemporary cultural production into alternative and experimental art forms. presented in conjunction with the exhibition “One Planet Under a Groove: Hip Hip and Contemporary Art,” New York City, 2002
Miho Miho Fashion Show and Afterparty – Live video projections including live filter effects and pre-edited content. Runway show produced by Sebastian Agneessens. Designer Miho Nikaido, Presented at the Point Gallery, New York City, 2002
Fictive Boutique – Levi’s® Vintage Clothing commissioned art installation and set of performances. At the popup site EXPO | SURE, 242 Elizabeth Street, curated and presented through the Downtown Arts Festival, in space created by Pompei AD, commissioned by Levi’s® Vintage Clothing, festival sponsor, New York City, 2001
Fictive Runway – An art fashion show commissioned by the Downtown Arts Festival as the main event for that year’s festival launch party. Presented at the Tunnel night club, New York City, 1997
Miss Spider’s Wedding – Children’s Book Launch Party at FAO Schwarz, Scholastic Press, Calllaway Arts & Entertainment, New York City, 1995
FILM & TELEVISION
What Happened Was… – Feature Film. Written and Directed by Tom Noonan. Visual Advisor. Grand Jury Prize, Sundance and Silver Hugo Award, Chicago International Film Festival. 1994
Pushing Hands – Feature Film. Written and Directed by Ang Lee. Additional gaffer. 1992
Love Field – Feature Film. Directed by Jonathan Kaplan. Electrician. 1992
AWARDS
“Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards“
Best Design. PERFECT, Set, Lighting, and live Video and computer Design, Contact Theatre, Manchester, UK, 2004
“Municipal Arts Society Times Square Spectacular“ from Tibor Kalman for marquee, and exterior of the Nederlander theater, 1997
“Drama Desk“ award, Best Set Design, RENT, Los Angeles, 1997
“National Endowment for the Arts/ TCG Fellows” grant, 1994
“Bessie award“ (with Lora Nelson & Cydney Wilkes) in the “Creator” category for “…superb direction, Design, and choreography” of A Window on the Nether Sea, New York, 1991
PUBLICATIONS
Back Stage “Breath on the Mirror” by Mitch Montgomery, May 10, 2010
The New York Times “Einstein Looks Back, with Help from Puppets” by Claudia La Rocco, May 12, 2010
CultuurPodium “Overweldigende Commedia Verwart” by Annemiek Barnouw, June, 2008
The Bronx Times “BRAC launches experimental exhibition: Metro Poles” by Daniel Beekman, December 18, 2008
ARTnews “Moonlight Sonata” by Barbara Pollack September, 2005
The New York Times “The History of Peekskill as Collage” by Benjamin Genocchio, January 23, 2005
Tema Celeste “Livia and Marc Straus” by Micaela Giovannotti, p.90 Issue 104 August, 2004
The Guardian (London) “Perfect” by Lyn Gardner May 10, 2004
The London Times “Perfect” by Sam Marlowe May 12, 2004
Off Off Online “Light and Magic” by Jessie Marshall, October 28, 2004
City Life “Denise and O-T reign at M.E.N. Awards” by Diana Stenson, December 07, 2004
New Museum Curator’s Picks review of “You Are Here” by Erin Barnett newmuseum.org/(archived at www.fictive.net/You_Are_Here/YAH-New_Museum/New_Museum_picks.html) 2003
Zingmagazine “A Tasty Treat Curatorial Market; Cuchifritos” p.270-272 Issue 18 Winter/Spring, 2003
NY ARTS Special Section (with Tina LaPorta) p.43-58 Volume 7, Number 3 March, 2002
NY ARTS Fictive Advertising p.51-52 Volume 6, Number 10 October, 2001
Village Voice “California Nightmaring” by Brian Parks, May 16, 1995
Village Voice “Recovering Ritual” by Deborah Jowitt, May, 1995
Lighting Dimensions (Live Design) “Florida Dreaming” by David Barbour, October, 1995
New York Press “‘Haunted by Their Pasts’: The Model Apartment…” by Don Shewey, Nov. 8, 1995
The New York Times “Cleaning Worrying, Rebelling” by D. J. R. Bruckner, October 27th, 1994
City Limits “Face Down” by Steve Rogers, March 12, 1993
Village Voice “Dream Country” by Deborah Jowitt, June 8, 1993
Village Voice “A Window on the Nether Sea” by Roderick Mason Faber, January, 29, 1991
Theater Week “Downtown” by John Bell, February 4, 1991
The New York Times “For the ‘Bessie’ Festivities, Awards and a Little Music” by Jack Anderson, September 23, 1991
American Theatre “A Palmy Night for the Bessies” by Penny Boyer, November, 1991
EDUCATION
B.A., Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 1984
Cum Laude Graduate
Lambda Alpha, National Anthropology Honor Society
Dean’s List
